ENMU coach charged with aggravated battery

An altercation between Eastern New Mexico University coaches on Friday morning resulted in one of them being charged with aggravated battery, a third-degree felony.

Court records allege Cory Bell pushed Tyjah “TJ” Deleon from behind “with enough force to cause (Deleon) to fall to the ground” and strike his head against a wall about 8 a.m. Friday in the ENMU football field house.

“(I)t took multiple staff members to pull (Cory) Bell off Tyjah Deleon,” the court document shows.

A spokesperson at the Roosevelt County Detention Center on Friday night said Bell was an inmate there and was being held without bond.

“Details regarding an alleged altercation Friday morning between two coaches in the Eastern New Mexico University athletic department have not been made public,” ENMU spokesman John Houser told The News on Friday afternoon.

“This is a personnel matter with an ongoing criminal investigation.”

An affidavit for arrest warrant filed Friday against Bell in Roosevelt County Magistrate Court states Deleon reported the altercation to police.

“After walking into the fieldhouse, he (Deleon) was suddenly pushed from behind and fell to the ground,” the court record alleges.

The record shows Deleon suffered a “significant laceration and swelling on his nose … a significant abrasion with swelling on his forehead … (and) a chipped front tooth as well as a swollen bloody lip from the altercation.”

Records show Bell is a university conditioning coach. Deleon is a graduation assistant with the football team. Neither could immediately be reached for comment.

The Greyhounds are scheduled to play Saturday at Sul Ross State in Alpine, Texas. It was not immediately clear whether Deleon was with the team.

The court record does not indicate what started the altercation between the men.